Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups with Flaky Sea Salt

I’m no stranger to a good dessert. I’ve made cheesecakes, I’ve made indulgent brownies, I’ve made some really, really good cake. Through it all, though, I’ve learned one thing: sometimes the most decadent, satisfying desserts are the simplest.

Rich, melt-in-your-mouth, decadent dark chocolate with a fluffy, peanut butter filling. These are homemade, so simple, and they put the classic Reese’s Pieces to shame.

Made in minutes, with pantry staples (so you can make them on a whim at 10pm on a Wednesday night, if the mood strikes).

I prefer the mix of dark chocolate with the peanut butter, as the bitterness of the dark balances the sweetness of the peanut butter filling. BUT, any kind of chocolate (preferably higher quality) will work here. Same with peanut butter – I prefer smooth, but crunchy would add a fabulous texture!

Making these couldn’t be easier. Use a muffin tin! To start, simply melt some chocolate in a double boiler (or in the microwave at 30-second intervals). Pour into muffin cups and chill until mostly firm. Make the peanut butter filling by stirring together some peanut butter, icing sugar, and a bit of vanilla extract. Divide the PB mixture into the cups and flatten, then top with more melted chocolate. Sprinkle with some sea salt, then chill in the fridge for the ultimate treat.

Tip: Lightly grease the muffin pan with a bit of oil before starting. I’ve found this is the best method, and the cups will simply pop out of the tray when pried out with a knife. For my first batch, I lined the muffin cups with cupcake liners, which was cute, but they stuck to the chocolate and made a huge mess!

Store these PB cups in the fridge in an airtight container, layered with wax paper. Simply remove from the fridge and let warm up to room temp for about 5 minutes before eating. Eat them plain, or serve with a bowl of ice cream. ?

Combine peanut butter, vanilla, and icing sugar in a small bowl. Divide filling into muffin cups. Try your best to leave a bit of a border around the edges, so that the second layer of chocolate will cover the sides of the peanut butter. Flatten tops with the back of a spoon.

Melt the remaining chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until completely smooth. Pour chocolate over the peanut butter. Spread flat, if necessary.

Refrigerate for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with sea salt. Continue chilling until firm, about 45 minutes.

Use a knife to pry the peanut butter cups from the muffin tray.

Store in an airtight container, layered with wax paper, in the fridge.